Serious question, how do you deal with a forge that just won't get hot enough?

Last month, I was trying to forge a set of tongs in my backyard shop and my propane forge was barely hitting a bright orange. I checked the regulator, cleaned the burners, everything. My buddy in Toledo said it might be the pressure, so I bumped it up a bit, which helped, but it still felt weak. It took me almost twice as long to draw out the steel. Has anyone else had this kind of slow heat problem and found a solid fix?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas_young2mo agoTop Commenter

Yeah, that sounds frustrating. What's the insulation like in your forge? If the lining is worn down or cracked, it'll bleed heat like crazy no matter what you do with the burner.

the_rowan2mo ago

Hold up, I've had the exact opposite happen. My old forge ran cold for ages and I replaced the lining twice before I even looked at the burner. Turns out the mixer tube was just clogged with soot. A good cleaning and it ran hotter than ever, no new bricks needed. Sometimes you can overthink the insulation and miss the simple stuff, right?

sage_perry3d ago

Wait, wait, wait. @the_rowan you're telling me you replaced the entire lining twice before you even thought to check the burner? Dude, that's wild. Thats like swapping out your cars engine because the gas cap was loose. I feel like I'd have given up way sooner and just scrapped the whole forge after the second lining job, you've got way more patience than me. I guess I always assume its some mystical insulation problem before I ever blame the simple gas flow.